Overview
CVE-2025-13771 is a medium-severity Arbitrary File Read vulnerability affecting WebITR, a product developed by Uniong. This flaw allows authenticated remote attackers to exploit Relative Path Traversal techniques to download sensitive system files, potentially leading to data breaches and system compromise.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within WebITR’s file handling mechanisms. Specifically, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied file paths when handling file download requests. An authenticated attacker can craft a malicious request containing a relative path traversal sequence (e.g., ../../../../etc/passwd) to access files outside of the intended directory. Because authentication is required, an attacker needs to have valid credentials, though the privileges needed for the affected function are likely lower than administrator.
CVSS Analysis
- CVSS Score: 6.5 (Medium)
- This score reflects the vulnerability’s potential impact. Although it requires authentication, the ability to read arbitrary files can have significant consequences.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-13771 could result in:
- Exposure of sensitive data: Attackers can retrieve configuration files, user credentials, and other confidential information stored on the system.
- Privilege escalation: In some cases, retrieved data (e.g., password hashes) can be used to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to the system.
- System compromise: Attackers can potentially access critical system files, allowing them to disrupt operations or even gain full control of the affected server.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2025-13771, the following steps are recommended:
- Apply the Patch: Uniong has likely released a patch to address this vulnerability. Immediately apply the latest update for WebITR to remediate the flaw. Refer to Uniong’s official website or security advisories for the appropriate patch.
- Input Validation: Implement robust input validation and sanitization measures to prevent path traversal attacks. Ensure that all user-supplied file paths are properly validated and normalized before being used to access files.
- Least Privilege: Enforce the principle of least privilege. Limit the permissions of user accounts and application processes to the minimum required for their legitimate tasks.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a web application firewall to detect and block malicious requests targeting the vulnerability.
- Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in your systems.